Enraged
by rock3rra
Summary: The United Kingdom, now little to no remnants of organised society remains. A nation torn apart by rage. Deserted, Abandoned, Infected and Forsaken. Welcome to Britain. My first fan-fiction for 28 Days Later. Unfinished but hope to continue if it goes well :
1. The Silent Killer

**THE SILENT KILLER**

''**Humans, are vulnerable to infection, and microbes—microscopic organisms such as viruses have the potential to cause a catastrophic epidemic that could spread through the entire human race. Although many killer diseases of the past have been conquered or quelled, scientists today fear that a major outbreak of deadly and uncontrollable disease is still possible''**

The perception of a virus, the idea of a virus is something we all fear. Epidemics, world wide panic and the basic fact viruses can't be cured, only prevented. **The silent killer **that could wipe us out in the blink of an eye. It has always been in the consciousness of everyone. It has a hold over us all about how it spreads and how fast it can infect you. The government, the media, are always complaining we don't stockpile enough medicines to cope with flu epidemics; meanwhile, it's panicking us. We are all susceptible to viruses. No one has full immunity to the ever changing shape and power of them. Its one of the many ways nature is more powerful than us humans, the one thing we can't control. It's hard to imagine; that something as miniature as a virus can alter the world we live in and destroy lives. We have no way of knowing how destructive a virus can be and what effects it will have on us, only time can tell.

''**Rage – a sudden feeling of extreme anger''**

Its something we can see and feel in the world. It's a feeling we all understand, the feeling of complete fury and frustration. It can't be controlled or evaded. It controls you. Your strength, your voice, your actions. Anger, rage, it's the fire that burns within us all. If you allow it to consume you, it maybe fatal. It has the ability to change you and others around you. It destroys lives and can cause on-going problems in our world, poverty, war, riots and even death. It's neither curable nor helped and is completely overwhelming…


	2. Land Of Hope and Glory

**LAND OF HOPE AND GLORY**

''**Land of Hope and Glory, Mother of the Free,  
How shall we extol thee, who are born of thee?  
Wider still and wider shall thy bounds be set;  
God who made thee mighty, make thee mightier yet''**

No one knows how it really started in the beginning. It came in the night, like a nightmare. One night it took for the rage to get out. One night…

It's the blood. There is something in the blood. This is different; it's a virus, if you can call it that. It spread so fast, like wild fire, without warning, it came. At first, the effects of the Virus were regarded by the media as rioting, but they were discredited by the public, as it was happening in small villages, market towns and the cities. Eventually, it wasn't on the news anymore, it was outside, in your street, under your roof, closing in on you. Four weeks it was over. Four weeks to destroy my world. 28 days to wipe us out…''The end is extremely fucking nigh''.

Deserted, Abandoned, Infected and Forsaken. **Welcome to Britain.**

Every morning, I awake to a world I no longer recognise. The streets are deserted. Nothing but rage and anger roam them now. Anyone not who had the chance are gone, hiding. Some are forced out by hunger, fear or hopelessness. I can't afford to lose hope. In my eyes, staying alive is as good as it gets, I can't give up; no matter of the circumstances. This is my life. Welcome to my world.

The country that has been neglected. Just a cast off from humanity. There is a new meaning to normality here now. People killing people. Some may say that still puts in a state of regularity still. Weeks before infection, people were killing each other and again for weeks before that. As far back as people can remember, this has been the case. So maybe we are in a circumstance of normality.

Anger, Rage. The one thing that everyone experiences. It's an emotion that binds us all together, such a human sensation. The one thing that has never been fully understood until now. Even before the virus, it was something you could see, hear and feel in the world. The human feeling of ultimate rage. Except this rage is permanent, contagious and incurable.


	3. The Beginning

**THE BEGINNING**

8.47pm, May 4th 2002 - BBC news is reporting a small scale riot occurring in Central Cambridge.

The rioting broke out around 8.35pm and police have been called in to deal with the rioters, dressed in riot gear. The reports on the news are saying rioters hit a local research centre and a train station, killing several people and leaving 20 police officers dead.

Several eye witnesses have described being forced from their homes by _'red eyed monsters' _and _'lunatics'. _The exact death toll is unknown.

6.00am, May 5th 2002 - The next morning is a completely normal day for the UK, with the obvious exception of Cambridge and neighboring towns, which had suffered a great loss and ordeal.

Amateur videos have since been uploaded to the internet, which have quickly circulated. It has become very clear to the public this was no ordinary riot; it wasn't even a riot at all. Videos showed the _''red eyed lunatics' _some were young, old, black, white, tall, short, male, female...the only thing these rioters have in common is that they all appear to follow the same enraged behavior. Protests have broken out in London as the public demand answers, with cities across the UK following.

9.25am, May 6th 2002 – The subsequent morning, the Home and Health Secretaries tell the public the truth. They announce that a highly contagious virus had broken out in Cambridge, which is at this point, incurable. The public living in East Anglia, and in particular, Cambridgeshire, are advised to remain in their homes and to avoid any unnecessary travel. They have also been advised to remain calm and obey authority measures.

The current ideas of how this virus broke out, has been ruled down to many theories, one of which maybe the work of scientists in the Cambridge Primate Research Centre, but their work is presently unknown, as all scientists at the lab were killed on the night of the outbreak.

Military blockades have been set up along major motorways and roads to protect the cities from the infection.

Since the release of the truth of the biological nature of the infection, panic buying arose throughout the UK, particularly in South East England, as the public stock up on essentials.

8th May - The Government hands out notices to warn the public to remain distant from any infected individuals with a list of the symptoms including red eyes, bleeding from the nose and mouth and painful twitching and spasms. Notices also outline the virus' affects to an individual who succumbs to it; dangerous and violent behavior.

The following events of the outbreak of the Rage Virus have had dramatic and unholy affects on the United Kingdom. The public have only just seen the start…


	4. Containment

**STEP ONE – CONTAINMENT**

**_8 Days Later: 'British Government impose Martial Law'_ – 11th May 2002**

…'' _the control and policing of a civilian population by military forces, when a country's' government can no longer function''. _

The Prime Minister has declared that the government and the armed forces will gain control over the situation, and has urged the public to remain calm and obey the authorities. In an apparent attempt in emulating Winston Churchill he said _"We shall never surrender. We will stand united, and will fight this scourge until it is wiped from our streets, our nation. We will rebuild the broken homes; we will resettle the shattered neighborhoods, and pray for those that died."_From this day forward, Britain is under martial law. Curfews are in place to prevent the infection spreading further. We are confined to our homes, isolated from the outside world. Military blockades are being constructed around towns and cities to protect from the infected. The law has put the country under stress. Food and water are in great demand, all trading with neighbouring countries has stopped and our borders shut down. The only voice we have is the radio and TV, the only way to know the progress of the infection; however the communications are garbled and confused with so much radio chatter. People are screaming into their radios and walkie-talkies begging for help and it isn't helping matters. I sit around daily, wondering what the rest of the world is doing, Have they even stopped and looked at what is happening? Or are the ignorant to leave this diseased little island to fend for itself? The questions have no answers. We have no way of knowing what is happening. We are totally defenceless. So far, my town is lucky. There is no sign of the infection in our streets. It's spread to the bordering market towns and villages in the vicinity of Cambridge, where the 'riots' first broke out.

When I think about it, maybe this infection will die out. Maybe it isn't as bad as the papers are saying. We all know what the newspapers are like; exaggerating matters to cause national panic. It's probably just a new strain of the common cold. Probably worrying more than I should. I mean, how ridiculous is it? The factor of realism doesn't even strike it. The unbelievable concept that this virus can infect you in no less than 20 seconds. Ridiculous! A virus takes days to progress within your body, not seconds. I knew the public were naïve and susceptible, but this is been taken to a whole new level. I'm just waiting for the day when the government are finally straight with us and stop tormenting us by coming out with all these foolish stories and tell us exactly what is going on.

**How wrong was I? **A couple of days have passed and I have eventually realised the full extent of this virus. The 'rage' virus. The virus that does infect you in 20 seconds once you have been exposed to it. The virus that makes you a rage filled killer. It's spreading fast and is beginning to reach the cities. The army blockades are becoming over-run. The latest reports are suggesting that we citizens are leaving the country, anywhere but here is safe. I sit here in my room, listening to the reports and wondering if this is all real. Is this really happening? A country like ours, us, being driven out by nature. I now comprehend the governments' decision to cover this up, but the evacuations should have started days ago. It may already be too late. For all of us.

So far, my town haven't been evacuated, but it may only be days until the infection reaches us, maybe even over night. How am I going to sleep tonight? Sleep in fear that when I wake up, the virus has destroyed the streets, my friends, my family. I can't go sleep at a time like this. I can hear my mother worriedly talking to someone on the phone, maybe a friend or just a concerned neighbour. I can't even bring up enough courage to walk downstairs to sit with her. I open my bedroom door quietly, so I don't disturb my sister, Alice or my frantic mother. I walk along the landing and sit on the top stair. I lay my head against the cold wall and shut my eyes. My mother walks to the bottom of the hall and sees me laying there. She called up to me. I awoke from my shallow sleep and walk downstairs. She greeted me open arms and a tear filled face. She whispered into my ear '_everything will be fine. We are getting out of here tomorrow'._ My eyes began filling up and just looked at her. She then said '_I can't keep you and your sister here any longer, it's not safe'_. I can understand her judgements to leave. We can't wait to be evacuated. It may already be too late. I slowly walked back up the stairs, carefully avoiding the rasping noises the old wood makes when you stand on them, in an attempt not to wake Alice. I peer through her door and see her asleep. So peaceful, like she has no care in the world. We have tried to live out the days since the outbreak as normal as possible to avoid the distress and worry of the virus. She is too young to be troubled by it. I turn around and face the window. I look out to see the streets deserted. Completely silent. I usually complain about the youths and drunks that roam them at night, making too much noise. But at least that was normal. This is far from it. I would give anything to have all that back, even if at the time I hated every minute of it. In this situation you can really see how much we take life for granted. Complaining when the slightest thing doesn't go your way. Well now, you can't object or deny what is happening; the virus is not going to just disappear or eradicate itself. We've attempted to fight it, we've failed and now we're running. Running to safety, away from what we created. From this, I know things will never be the same again…

''_Be thankful for **everything**, for soon there will be **nothing**''_


	5. Evacuation

**STEP TWO – EVACUATION**

**_9 Days Later: 'Exodus of British Citizens begins' _- 12th May 2002**

''…_a removal of people from a dangerous or potentially dangerous place to somewhere safe''._

The latest news reports have told us that the infection has reached Luton and the military are stepping up to protect London. It has been said that 25,000 troops have been deployed in the north of London, using the M25 as their main defensive line from where they intend to halt the spread of infection. That night, troops have surged towards the town, in a hope to prevent the infected reaching the City, by any means. The BBC reported the military are finally authorized to use tanks, artillery and jets in urban areas and intend to use deadly force against the ever increasing hordes. However the attempts have been fatal. It was a bloodbath. The army was unaware that thousands of civilians were still trapped in the town, unable to escape due to blocked roads and infected prowling outside their homes; resulting in thousands of innocent men, women and children dying under a hail of cannon, rocket and machinegun fire. The Luton Massacre is all over the media and is an example of the increasing attempts we have against this evil.

Stories on the TV and radio have done little to reassure the public that all is calm and rumors are aplenty. A rumor that Coventry is rife with infection and that infected have been sighted in High Wycombe (which is just outside London) has since been ruled out, but they have persisted, spreading panic faster than the virus. Thousands of infected also died in the massacre but many thousands more have charged towards the soldiers and have since, overwhelmed their main forward operating base at Luton airport. This has now forced the surviving troops into a chaotic retreat towards the M25 defensive line. My town is around 60 miles from the city, but this doesn't mean it won't reach here soon. I'm so terrified of what the night may bring. All I can do is sit and listen to the broadcasts. Religious groups have began preaching that this is the apocalypse, the end is nigh. I have never been open enough to accept the religious beliefs but I am most certainly respectful of them. I lay here listening to the nervous voices coming over the static on the radio, wondering what the night will bring when I awake.

That next night we were evacuated. There was a complete state of panic. A local radio broadcast informed us of the mass exodus. The military blockades protecting London and Manchester, have become overrun, causing the remainder of the panicked public that are not already infected to try and evacuate.Town by town, we were rounded up like cattle and put onto trains and buses. Army blockades made it impossible for anyone to leave by car. The motorways were gridlocked. They didn't care if you lost your family; they just shoved you wherever they could. My mother ran around frantically, gathering as much of our stuff together as she could. I didn't know what to do. The world was crashing down around me. What could a 17 year old girl do?

There was a hard thump on our door and an armed soldier muscled his way into the hall. His bellowing voice echoed throughout the house. He ordered us to leave, practically grabbing my mother and pushing her out. I shouted. I grabbed my little sister's hand and carried her. We had no time to lose. We rushed to the nearest extraction point. Thousands of people all crammed into the local train station. The crowds were surging. The swarms of desperate people escaping a bitter death. The soldiers were shouting orders, blaring at people to calm down. Throughout all this chaos, I held onto my sister for dear life. I could not lose her. She's my world. I lost sight of my mother. I called and called for her, but how the hell could she hear my voice over the thousands of cries and screams? We finally reached the platform. I comforted my sister. She was so afraid. The train pulled up and people just pushed to get on. We were shoved, like being in a moss pit. It was enough to make anyone feel claustrophobic. We eventually reached the door. One of the soldiers on the train said there was no more room. I panicked. I pleaded for them to take Alice, even if I was left behind. I heard screeching behind me. The crowds started charging towards the carriage. I begged and begged for someone to take my sister onto the train. Alice was in complete hysteria, begging me not to leave her. I would risk anything for her. The soldier looked at me. I looked straight into his eyes and he could see my desperation, without even asking. I kissed her the forehead and told her I will see her again. He took Alice from my arms and promised me she will get off safe. Just before the train departed, she reached out and gave me her locket and mouthed 'I love you'. My heart sank. I held the locket in my hand the dropped to the floor. The scene around was in slow motion. The screeching got closer. There was an infected amongst us. You couldn't tell who was infected and who wasn't. Only now, did everything seem so _tangible, so real._

The infection spread fast. You couldn't run. All you could do was climb. Everyone just trampled over people who had fallen. I ran anyway I could. I managed to get into the station office. I ran to door and desperately tried to open it. I panicked, the door is jammed_. 'What do I do?'_ I was thinking. I circled round to the entrance and hide myself underneath the seats in the waiting room. I curled my legs underneath my shaking body and lay quietly. All I could do now was wait. Wait for it to end. All I could hear was the screeching from those who were lost to the virus, the frenzied feeding and sound of rending flesh. I wanted it to stop. I curled up; hands over my ears, hoping it would make a slight difference. I waited for around an hour before I had the courage to get up and look outside. I shakily opened the door and slowly emerged onto the platform. The scene was shocking. The crowd were gone. No sight of any other survivors, only those who were dead. I walked around to the front of the station. Everything was silent. _'What am I going to do?' _I was thinking. I began to walk down the street. It was too quiet. Where were _they_? All of a sudden, an infected appeared from the archway, a few meters from where I was stood. For seconds, I looked intently into his eyes. Red eyes; red from the rage and anger the infection grasps you into. For those few seconds I could feel the wrath and sorrow these people feel. At the end of the day, these are still people. I almost feel sorry for them. But then he charged towards me. I just ran. I had not where to go except the path in front of me. My heart was thumping against my chest and my body just went into a complete phase of hysteria. I kept running. Just running. The thoughts of my Alice being here was just truly unbearable. This is not a world for children. For anyone. Not even me. I turned my head to look behind me. I picked up enough distance to stop running and hide. I took refuge in an abandoned car. I climbed into the back seats and hide myself behind the passenger seat. I could hear the wheezing and breathing of the infected right by me. Unnerving and agonizing to hear. My hand shot to mouth like a bullet, to confine and silence my heavy breathes. The awful sounds slowly echoed into the distance. My hands were shaking uncontrollably. My breath lost. My mind completely consumed. I didn't move, blink or even breathe. My body had just shut down. I sank into the floor and looked out of the opposite window. The moonlight outlined the insufferable silence and made it seem so beautiful. My eyes just captivated by the light. It almost made me forget what just happened, although I am convinced this will stay in my mind for as long as I live. I closed my eyes and imagined the moonlight shining over the street.

**"The blood drips down his face,**

**His heart - at beat at over a thousand miles an hour. **

**His eyes - a colour of deep, dark red, bloodshot, as if stained by the devil himself. **

**His mind – blank with the distant memory of his life become this.**

**He hunts and he almost always gets his kill.**

**Watch out, for he is...**

"**THE ENRAGED!"**


	6. Quarantine

**STEP TWO – QUARANTINE**

**_15 Days Later: 'Mainland Britain is quarantined'_- 19th May 2002**

…'_enforced isolation of people or area to prevent the spread of a contagious or infectious disease''. _British society has broken down. Mainland Britain has been overrun by the Infected; leaving only scattered survivors. Apart from these survivors, the rest of the British populace are either dead, infected, or had escaped during the exodus. I am alone. The latest radio broadcasts has told the remainder of the isolated Britons, that mainland Britain has been quarantined by NATO and the UN. We've been abandoned, just left. By our own government. By our own people. I have been here for 4 days now. After escaping a certain death, I remember walking the streets that night, after the dreadful confrontation with an infected. The next morning, I had walked to the edge of town. Bewildered and confused, I honestly didn't know where I was going or what I was going to do. The towns' army blockades were destroyed, overrun. I was most certainly alone, within reason that is. Since then, I have been able to barricade myself inside a small house on more the rural side of the urban centre. I feel quite safe here, well, it's most certainly safer than the streets. I have to maintain this low profile or I can attract their attention so easily, they are so susceptible to sound; that's another 'trait' I have learnt from them. I seem to learn from them everyday. I watch individual Infected walk through the abandoned traffic and roads and sometimes can catch a glimpse of a horde every once in a while. They are more active at night and avoid the light if they can. If I do ever have the need to travel, it will most definitely be during the day, as there is hopefully less chance of coming into contact with them. Another thing I've picked up is that it appears that if Infected hear a sound made by uninfected, say me, they will relentlessly search the source of the sound. I have often taken risks by throwing stones out of the upstairs window. I crouch beneath the window ledge and 'spy' in on how they react. Me monitoring them is going to help me survive one way or another and possibly heightens my chances. I have so far established the following:

The Infected are intelligent. There is still some logic behind their madness – i.e. they track survivors down, search for sounds and they avoid daylight.

They are also aware that if an uninfected victim is already dead, then they cannot infect or kill them themselves.

They are still people, just infected with 100% rage – they're still breathing, living and trying to survive, as they are HUMAN…

I don't know what the time is. The windows are blockaded and I don't usually look out into the daylight, unless I'm curious. Whilst searching the house a few days back, I found a variety of objects, including this old radio. I'm no DIY genius, but I got it working. I sat on the small chair on the landing and searched every frequency for any signs of broadcasts. I perched myself out of the armored chair and retuned the radio. I could hear a small, quite whisper. I carefully picked the broken and somewhat useless item and moved around to find the signal. It became clearer. I heard a voice. A mans. It was gentle and empathic. _…'' The blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you and remain with you always. Godspeed.''_ I felt a lump in my throat. There are people out there who care about us. I have never been opened to the concept of religion, but someone has taken time in their life to think about and wish us to safety. I turned off the radio and placed in gently on the ground. I slowly descended to my knees and rested on the floor. I looked around cautiously but I knew I was alone. I placed my hands together and laid forward. This was a moment of spirituality. I had never prayed before in my life, but surely now's the time. I shut my eyes. I whispered softly. ''_Lord. I know I have never confined in you before now. But I am so frightened of what may come. I'm not praying for myself. I'm parrying for those who have lost loved ones and those who are lost. I'm praying for my sister and my mother and everyone else's family. Please keep them safe. Please give them the strength and will to live on. Please.'' _I exhaled erratically and moved to a seated position. I'm just sat here. I don't want to move or even think. I just want to stay here and be still. I looked ahead of me and saw a mirror across the landing. I rose to my feet and walked towards it. My reflection becoming clearer and clearer. I didn't look at my face, my tear scared face. I looked at the locket around my neck. The small silver locket. I ran my finger along the shining, cold surface and held it tightly in my hand. I heard a distant aircraft and looked towards the blacked-out window. I then thought to myself _''__Am I the only survivor? Why are they not helping me?''_ After that night, the only people I recall were the infected. It's hard to imagine, even now, that the thousands of people left on the platform are all dead or infected or even alive and hiding. A life without anybody.

What I find most terrifying, is the fact this virus doesn't kill you. It fills you with rage. Ultimate and uncontrollable. Fills you with adrenaline, overpowers your actions with strength. I don't think the term '_what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger'_ has been ever more appropriate. As I've said, I can't help but feel for the infected, maybe that's the reason I can't even imagine myself having to kill one. In my eyes, they're sick. They're people. Human. When someone gets infected, you have around 10 to 20 seconds to kill them, before they succumb to the virus. It doesn't matter who they are. It could be your sister, your parents or your closest friend, it makes no difference. It's pretty much kill or be killed.

'' _But I don't know how to fight. All I know how to do is stay alive''._


	7. Destruction

**DESTRUCTION**

'**_28 Days Later: Mainland Britain has been destroyed by the rage virus' –_ 1st June 2002**

''…_physical remains of a place or city in a __state of complete destruction in infrastructure, social, economy or life''._Death. Everywhere is just death. The irreversible cessation of life. Places before the infection were full of life and now it's completely demise; just trash and corpses. The infection was the microscopic thing that has destroyed this country, maybe even the world, I have no idea. Little to no remnants of organised society remains; the streets belong to the infected.

If you walk the streets today, you'll see the devastation and feel the full of loneliness it bears to its survivors. But then again, this is home, the place I feel most comfortable, the place I know. 28 days it has taken, just 4 weeks. 4 weeks to fill the streets with elements of eeriness and incongruity. 4 weeks to turn busy cities to derelict regions. It shows how mistaken I was, my naive attitude towards it. So foolish. But I can't turn back the clocks or change it, only learn from and move on.

The TV's and radios have stopped broadcasting. That was 6 days ago. I think it was 2 days before they stopped, the reports said that there was evidence that the infection had travelled with the refugees from the country, to Paris and New York. They also apologised and blessed any remaining survivors in Britain, saying they done everything they could and that we were alone. There is no government or army. Just a handful of survivors throughout the country and the hundreds of thousands of infected that are now in control of the streets. This means, there are no liberate points and all chances of rescue were non-existent. Hope was lost.

So here I am, alive. So far, I haven't come into direct or close contact with any infected, apart from the evacuation night, which is the closet I've got. I have avoided them as much as I can. I can't even imagine myself killing one to survive. That's not me. I'm more on the pacifist side than violence. But I suppose, I need to kill or be killed as it were. Survival; the basic human instinct. I'm trying to survive by any means possible. But sometimes, when I really think about it, what am I doing? There's no point in keeping myself alive if there's no hope, nothing to live for. And even if the infection eradicated itself, how would I leave Britain? The quarantine closed all borders and the British airspace. No other country has sent support that I know of and are all afraid of entering the country. I can't say I blame them. Who would enter this diseased place? We are forsaken, lost and beyond repair.

I'm running really low on basic food and water supplies. There is no electricity or gas and now, no water. I lost water pressure 2 days ago. I have to do something or starve to death, which I suppose is a better way to go. I'd rather die this way than by the rage. Today was the day I have decided to stock up. I searched around the house for an object I could use as a weapon of some sort. I wasn't intending to use it, but there is always the 'just in case' factor in any situation. I managed to find an old wooden base-ball bat in the attic. I grabbed the bat, walked back downstairs and opened the door at the side of the house. The light was blinding. I became delusional. I hadn't been outside in 8 days and wasn't used to the natural daylight. I stood at the opening for a couple of minutes to assess the street and get used to sunlight. There were no signs of the infected in this area. Armed with my 'trusty weapon',' I cautiously stepped onto the path and closed the door. My head was hurting from the light. I felt light-headed and confused. I steadied myself using the door handle. After my moment, I began walking around. There was a shocking and eerie silence in the street. This time of the day, it would be alive with people and traffic. It was so strange seeing such a busy street so empty. All I could hear was the gentle singing of a bird in a nearby tree. Derelict houses, missing people posters slapped over the walls, newspapers and litter were blowing around my feet in the calm breeze. I turned and saw a poster of a missing girl right in my eyesight. I felt so emphatic towards every single soul lost to this terrible evil. The little girl was just like my own sister and I felt relieved in a way that it wasn't, but still felt incredibly overwhelmed that so many people are gone. I looked towards the dusty ground and picked up a piece of paper. It was a government notice warning people of the infection and this brought back so many memories of when this whole thing started. I threw it to the floor potently. Everything around me seemed a daze and so unreal; I took a minute to take it all in before walking on. There were abandoned cars all along the road, which had become over grown with weeds and covered in debris. I walked to the end of the road and looked down the adjacent street. Everyone was gone, the cars were all now abandoned, blood and bodies littering the road for as far as the eye could see, just left like road kill. I had a sudden feeling of sickness in my stomach. I felt so empty. I turned away from the scene and walked back the way I came.

I searched through some of the cars. I wasn't successful in finding much. I then heard a sudden screech. I turned quickly but there was no sign of any infected. I silently ran down to the end of the street and reached an army blockade. I then only began to notice the changing light. It was rapidly become darker and I know I have to get back to the house before nightfall, or I am most certainly going to run into a mass or two. I hide myself behind one of the road blocks and sat down to catch my breathe. About 5 minutes passed, I got to my feet and walked further through the blockade; I peered around and noticed some rifles. I looked at my weapon in comparison and realised how much safer I'd feel with one. I dropped my bat the floor and crouched beside the new found weapon. I steadily stood up, picked up the rifle and turned around to find a group of infected heading towards me. I gasped, turned and began running again. We my new acquired weapon, I still didn't feel overly confident with it. They were closing in on me, how many there were I wasn't sure of, all I cared about was getting away. Too concentrated on running I lost my footing and tripped, I landed on broken glass shards and deeply cut my leg. I screamed. The pain was excruciating. I painfully hauled myself up and tried to outrun the infected without luck. I dropped to the floor. I looked down at my leg; glass was embedded in my skin. I shakily took hold of the glass, looked away in utter repulsion and drew the object out of my leg. I suppressed my exclamations of pain, but knew this was no use to me; the killers were still on my trail. This was it. This is how I'm going to die isn't it? I regained full control of the rifle and held it in my bloody grasp. I aimed it onto the oncoming infected. I was attempting to build the courage of killing one. 'At least there would be one less charging towards me', I was thinking. As they came closer, all I could think about was Alice, my beautiful little sister. I took aim and shot down one infected. They hit ground abruptly. Not much of an achievement. I then realised, Alice is what I've got to live for. Its kill or be killed! What have I got to lose? Only my life. All of a sudden, I heard gunshots. The infected dropped to the floor one by one like dominos. All that was crossing my mind was, _'Am I not alone'._ I pulled myself up and peered around. Unexpectedly, shots were being fired at me. I ducked. Maybe they've mistook me for one of them. I saw a shadow crawling up in front of me. I was breathing profoundly, every breathe was a task. A figure appeared from the blockade. They aimed at me. I screamed _'I'm no..I'm not infected!'_ I said weakly. I felt faint. My vision began to blur. I could slightly see him slowly walk towards me and he lowered his weapon. He placed it on the floor and got on his knees beside me. I heard him speak, but couldn't make any word of it. I heard a female's voice behind him. _'Is she infected?_' I heard her shout. 'No!' he said immediately. I mumbled '_I'm not infected'_ and blacked out. That's all I remember.

I had dream. The events of what happened were on repeat in my head. That's all I could think about.


	8. Survival

**STEP THREE: SURVIVAL**

'…**_the fact of remaining alive or in existence, especially after facing life-threatening danger'_ - June 2002 onwards**

I awoke to the calm sound of chatter. I opened my eyes slowly and the nail biting pain of my leg brought tears to my eyes. I heard footsteps approach me and there he was, the one who saved me. 'What happened to your leg then?' he said in a calm and concerned manner. I sat up and propped myself with my arms. I wiped the tears away and answered 'l tripped and cut myself on a shard of glass'. He sighed calmly and heaved his rucksack onto the bed and pulled out a small green box. He then took off the bandage from my leg. I looked away is disgust. _'You look a little pale'_ he said, alarmed. _'Blood makes me queasy. Can't stand the sight of it'_ I replied softly. He wrapped a new bandage round my wound. I exclaimed swiftly in pain. He looked at me and his eyes said he was sorry for causing me such discomfort. I forced a smile onto face to tell him I was alright. He looked at me and let out a little grin. I asked what he was smiling at and he replied 'sorry _for shooting at you. Thought you were one of them'_. Smiling back. I responded swiftly. _'It's ok. Easy mistake to make'_. He let out a polite laugh, 'I'm Sam by the way'. _'I'm Gemma, but my friends used to call me Gem'. I…I don't remember much from the accident'_ I said questionably. '_Don't worry about it. You're quite safe now. The infected can't get us here'._ Sam hoisted himself from his seated position. _'You need to rest your leg. It's a serious injury you know. You'll be fine, Gem'._ His gentle tone was comforting. He walked across the room and shut the door behind him. I looked around the room, questioning my whereabouts. I looked like a military setting. The room was elongated with several camp-like beds set up down the sides. I looked down at my leg, ran my left hand along the surface of the bandage and cried out a little in agitation. I laid back down, without moving my leg if I could help it. I sighed and shut my eyes. I felt a cold feeling in my right hand, like I was holding a coin or small piece of metal. I was curious to the object that was in my hand. I stretched out my arm slowly, as sudden movements cause awful discomfort. I outstretched my hand and in the centre of my palm, was my sisters silver locket. My eyes began welling up and I let out a small smile. I don't remember holding it. But this was a wonderful moment that has brought me some happiness to the terrible sequence of events. But what happened to my mother? I haven't even thought of it until now. Did you get on the train? I don't even want to think of the other question that springs to my mind. I don't even know if that solider kept his promise. All I can do is hope. I have no way of knowing.

I must have fallen asleep. It was early evening when I awoke and splinters of light were shining through onto to the wall. I raised myself up and sat on the edge of the bed. I looked down at my injured leg and shuddered slightly; the thought of what happened still unnerves me. I heard sounds of conversation, which echoed down the hall. I allowed my curiosity to possess me and wanted to know who these people were. I lifted my weak body and stood uneasily on my legs. I stood stationary for a minute before attempting to move. I took a small step forward and already the intense pain was back. I steadied myself and continued. By the time I reached the halfway point in the hall, I had a feeling of apprehension. Sam told me stay put and rest. I'm just one of those people. Injuries or illness, I feel uneasy just sitting around. I have to be on my feet. In the past, people suggested it was a nervous disposition and now I'm beginning to think they're right. My current thoughts are muddled, so many memories running through my mind. It's overwhelming. I could feel the tears welling up again and my heart was pounding uncontrollably. But, with the current state of me, this wasn't enough to halt my curiosity of who was behind the door. I continued with my pilgrim to the end of the hall. The moderate sounds of banter gradually becoming louder and clearer. I reached for the door handle and pulled down on it slowly. The door steadily opened, with a harsh groan, into another long hallway. With the aid of the wall, I limped along the cold floor. The sounds of talk echoed through the room, which became the beacon for my journey. However, I soon became lost. The corridors and passages of this building were like a labyrinth, leading to dead ends and more rooms. I sighed in frustration. I halted and stared out the nearby window. Night had fallen and the flood lights illuminated the enclosed area. I soon then realised this was a military camp of some sorts. A small, relieved smile creped across my face, as I knew I was perfectly safe here. I heard a door open behind me and footsteps approaching me. I turned to see a girl. As she came closer, I realised this was the girl that was with Sam the day I was found. The one who asked if I was one of them, before I blacked out. _''You alright there, need any help?'' _she enquired in speculation. _''Yes, I'm fine. Still in a bit of pain though, but I'm okay''_ I responded politely. _''Yeah I noticed. You're Gemma right? ''Well, I prefer Gem'' _I replied. _''That's alright, I'm Jessica, but you can just call me Jess''. _She smiled, walked past me and strolled through a door at the end of the hallway. I turned and faced her direction and realised this was the beacon of the conversation.

Slowly, I followed her trail and heard sounds of a dispute developing. I eavesdropped on their argument, as I didn't know what there'd think if I just walked in. I heard a males' voice; _''we can't stay here, it's not safe. One of these days, those bastards outside will get us'' _he said keenly. I could also hear the sighs of disagreement and absurdness. A sudden thought came to find _''What if they find me listening in? They might hate me for it''. _I plucked up what courage I had left and opened the door. The room was small and was alight with candles. There five people stood in the room and Jess was sat at an old table in the corner. They stopped they're quarrelling and their eyes were fixed on me. Sam stood up almost instantly and asked if I was all right. He strolled over and aided me to a seat. _''Thought I told you to rest''_ he said, concerned. _''I'm fine. My leg's better now. I just wanted to know what all the talking is about.''_ I replied in a stubborn tone. _''As long as your okay to be walking around, that's fine''. _He smiled and stood beside me. _''You're just like me. I can't rest or stay put, always on my feet''. The _girl who just compared me to her, was stood away from everyone else and seemed timid and quiet.''_Gem, this is Laura, Alex and Mark''. _He pointed around to the other survivors and introduced them. I looked around at them all. They were all so different. Jess stood up.' _Laura's my younger sister''_. I felt resentful; but still managed to feel content for them. _''I had…have a younger sister, Alice. She was evacuated on that last night''_. Jess aimed a smile my way ''_I'm sure she got out. You'll see. When this is over, you'll see her again''. _I acknowledged her kindness and smiled back. _''Here we go ago''_ Alex protested sternly. My heart sank; clearly he had lost all hope and seemed to have a bitter and pessimistic attitude. _''Look, why do you have to be like this, all the time? Where's your hope?''_ Samanswered back instantly. _''Hope? What bloody hope? We've been left, just dumped by our own people'' _Alex responded in a more disheartened tone than harsh, like before. I know what he means. Why have optimism, when it has all been abolished? The room fell silent.

Everyone had the same thought as Alex and didn't resent to him. Mark raised himself, above everyone else. _''Look, we are alive. Against all the odds, we are alive. Let's not waste it away to misery or despair. I know we will get out of this. As I've said before, we need to leave this camp and find others, maybe even someone who can help us''. _Sam cleared his throat. _''We could die trying Mark'' _he said in objection. I thought this the opportune moment to make myself heard. _''Or die here. And perhaps it isn't as bad as we think. There maybe more survivors like us. We can't sit here and wonder''. _Mark turned to me and gave me an agreeing look. _''Gemma's right. Some military blockades might be still operational''. _I feel more confident that I've made a stand. _''Maybe some of us can leave to find others and the weaker ones like myself and Lauren should stay''. _Alex seemed a little more eager for the plan to go ahead. _''No Alex. For one, you're not weak and two, I can't leave Lauren here, its not safe. It's too risky to leave you''. _Opposed Jess. The atmosphere seemed more co-operative and together and the hope we lost appears to be repairing.I began feeling light-headed again, but attempted to block it out as best as I could. I think the others began noticing my sudden change in behaviour and began asking questions. _''You alright, Gem'' _Lauren's voice gently filled the room. _''Yeah I'm…I'm fine. Just going to go back to bed I think''._ I pushed myself out of the chair with the aid of Sam. He held me like I held my sister that night, that terrible night. I looked down at my injured leg and saw the bandage had become blood-soaked. I felt sick. _''Get Gemma back to the block. She needs rest Sam''. _It seems Mark was the one in natural authority and gains respect from this group of survivors. _''Come on Lauren. You need to rest too''_ Lauren shyly stood up and followed Jess out of the room. With the support of Sam, we walked out of the room. I was hesitant at first, but began feeling more comfortable and used to my injury.

Ever since waking up in this 'survivor camp', I had been curious to know where this is and how they all got here. When I finally reached my bed, I lowered myself and rested my leg. ''Just_ out of curiosity, where exactly are we?''_ Sam turned to face me and sat down next to me. _''This is the old military barracks, managed to make this building safe from the outside, well, its as safe as it can be I suppose. So, what's your story then?''. _I looked down to the floor. _''Same as everyone else's. Got dumped here, now just trying to survive''. _He gave me a look of doubt and now I feel obliged to tell him the whole epilogue of what's happened in my perspective. _''The night everyone was evacuating is basically when it started, for me. I was with my little sister and my mother. Thousands of people were just panicking all around me. All those people just crammed into any space on the train platform. In the middle of all the chaos, I lost my mother. I just held onto my sister with everything I had. We um..eventually reached the platform edge and were thrown back amongst a wall of people. The soldier on the train was just blaring that there's no more room. Everyone was screaming and pleading. There was nothing I could do. I begged for them to take my sister, just let her on the train, but around half the people there had the same idea. Someone was grateful enough to take her to safety, one of the soldiers. He promised me she'd be safe.'' _I looked down to the silver locket around my neck and held it in my hand. _''The locket. She gave it to you, your sister. I can see why its so precious'' _he let out a small, subtle smile. I exhaled deeply. _''Similar story to you really. I was there that night, with the trains and soldiers. I lost both my parents''. I looked at him in dismay. ''I'm so sorry''. _He let out a pain filled smile, but plucked up enough strength to carry on._ ''It was later that night I met Alex. He never has told me what happened with him. Anyway we managed to conceal ourselves in one of the overrun military blockades. We were doing okay for a few days before we were attacked. We then just moved on to the next, the next place to hide''. _Throughout his story, my eyes were glued to his and I could feel the pain, the loss. My mind tuned out for a split second. Sam looked at me, with his curious eyes, wondering if his voice was boring me. I guess, every survivor of this virus has a story, their sequence of survival. _''Right, I'm going to leave you to rest''. _Sam stood up, smiled and walked out the room, closing the door behind him. I exhaled deeply and let out a tired yawn, which made my eyes water. I threw myself into the bed, my body so heavy from the tiredness of my day. I held my locket in my hand, grabbing it tighter between fingers the more of thought of my sister. I miss her. And my parents. I can't believe I've allowed myself to dismiss the memories of my father. I guess I can't keep that pain within me; I just need to keep it shut out. I don't even have a picture of him or my mother or even Alice. I don't even know what happened to him. I don't think I want to know. But given the current state of my world, it's all I can think about. His eyes. Nothing else. Not his face or him, just his eyes.

''_**He is not here; but far away,  
The noise of life begins again,  
And ghastly thro' the drizzling rain  
On the bald street breaks the blank day''**_

_**Alfred Tennyson (1809 - 1892)**_


End file.
